So poétique !

CDs

Composers

Camille Saint-Saëns, Louis Vierne, Théodore Dubois, Charles Gounod, Benjamin Godard, Alphonse de Lamartine, Gabriel Fauré, Fernand de La Tombelle, Jules Massenet, Augusta Holmès, Alfred de Musset, César Franck, Félicien David, Victor Hugo, Ambroise Thomas

Artists

BRUSSELS PHILHARMONIC
Pierre Dumoussaud conductor
Cyrille Dubois tenor

AMAZON PRESTO MUSIC DIGITAL MUSIC

Label

Alpha Classics
in collaboration with the
Palazzetto Bru Zane

Release date

03/04/2026

Specifications

1 CD - booklet in English, French and German

After exploring lesser-known works for light lyric tenor from the opéra-comique repertoire with the multi-award-winning So Romantique !, this new recording focuses on a unique genre: French mélodie with orchestra.

"Deeply attuned to the chamber dimension of music, I was naturally drawn to this form, which is rarely programmed today. Attention to tone colour is essential here, particularly in the interpretation of such brief pieces, an exercise at the very heart of my approach as a mélodiste," says Dubois. Designed by the researchers and editors of the Palazzetto Bru Zane, this programme allows us to rediscover lost treasures of French heritage: refinement, the art of suggestion, delicacy, nobility of expression – everything here is so poetic!

Recorded 31 March-4 April 2025, Flagey, Brussels (Belgium)

Tracklist

1 CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Aimons-nous
2 LOUIS VIERNE (1870-1937) Chanson d'automne
3 THÉODORE DUBOIS (1837-1924) Printemps
4 CHARLES GOUNOD (1818-1893) Le Soir

5 BENJAMIN GODARD (1849-1895) Embarquez-nous
6 ALPHONSE DE LAMARTINE (1790-1869) « La retraite » (Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, Livre III)
7 BENJAMIN GODARD Fragment I (Lamartine)
8 CHARLES GOUNOD Ma belle amie est morte
9 GABRIEL FAURÉ (1845-1924) Les roses d'Ispahan
10 FERNAND DE LA TOMBELLE (1854-1928) Berceuse Pyrénéenne
11 JULES MASSENET (1842-1912) Le poète et le fantôme
12 AUGUSTA HOLMÈS (1847-1903) Ne nous oubliez pas !
13 ALFRED DE MUSSET (1810-1857) « Lucie » (Poésies nouvelles)
14 BENJAMIN GODARD Fragment II (Musset)
15 FERNAND DE LA TOMBELLE Sonnet d'Estienne de la Boétie
16 GABRIEL FAURÉ En prière
17 THÉODORE DUBOIS Pourquoi les oiseaux chantent
18 CÉSAR FRANCK (1822-1890) La procession
19 FÉLICIEN DAVID (1810-1876) La vengeance des fleurs
20 VICTOR HUGO (1802-1885) « Lazzara » (Les Orientales)
21 BENJAMIN GODARD Fragment III (Hugo)
22 CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS Extase
23 AMBROISE THOMAS (1811-1896) Le Soir
24 CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS Lever de soleil sur le Nil

[1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8,10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 23, 24] Éditions musicales Palazzetto Bru Zane
World premiere recording

[1, 2, 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24] Éditions musicales Palazzetto Bru Zane
in collaboration with the Pestalozzi-Gymnasium (Munich) - direction Gunther Braam